iBrotha by Rodney O. Lain #@$%, I'd Better Receive OS X On March 24, Not After March 2nd, 2000 Criticism is easy, art is difficult. Phillipe Destouches I just realized that I won't receive my copy of OS X on March 24. Maybe. I was in an argument with a friend about this. We were discussing whether or not those of us who ordered OS X would receive it on March 24, or if it would be shipped to us on March 24. This is probably a non-issue for most of you, but this is a major dilemma for those us who genuflect at the altar of instant gratification. To be honest, the only reason why I advance-ordered my copy of OS X is that damned $30 rebate for those who pre-order OS X through Apple or Apple's Web site. As David Letterman would say, "30 damned dollars!" This is a dilemma, I'm realizing. Come the night of March 24, I want to have my grubby little mitts on OS X. I want the real deal too, not those illicit copies being talked about at Mac OS X sites like wincent.org and macosx.org. It's depressing. Here's why I'm depressed. Apple has a recent history of announcing a ship date, then "reneging" on those dates. How many of you have been waiting for those PowerBook G4s and SuperDrive PowerMacs? Now you see why I'm worried about receiving my "X" emblazoned CD-ROM in a timely manner. Who cares about what playing-cards-to-the-chest features Apple is shoe-horning into the OS. All I care about is whether I will have my copy on that heavily advertised date. For months and months we have waited for what is being hailed as the greatest commercial Operating System in the world. (Hell, even John Dvorak is giving it style points, though it's a sideways compliment.) So, it's sure to be an event. For the next 22 days, we will be whipping one another into a frenzy over candy-coated Unix, but that's okay. Unfortunately, it will be until a few days after that when I will be sitting alone, in front of my G4 Cube, intellectually masturbating over the fact that I have a copy of OS X. "Oh, I'm not doing anything, honey. What was that moaning sound? Oh, I just hit my knee on the keyboard tray." But, between now and then, I will have to play the "What if?" game with UPS, FedEx or whoever it is that will be doing the shipping. For too long we have waited for a modern Mac Operating System. What's a few more days of waiting, even if it is a few more days after the rest of the world buys their copy off of store shelves? <Sigh> Thirty damned dollars. Screw you, Letterman. Your comments are welcomed. Rodney O. Lain is a junior manager at a major corporation. He enjoys public speaking, mentoring minority college students, and helping community multicultural-awareness efforts. He also "preaches the Gospel" at a Minneapolis Micro Center -- he's the bald black guy. Rodney "drives" a G4 Cube and a PowerBook G3. After enjoying a popular run at Mac Addict.com, "iBrotha" was axed, to readers' dismay. Back by popular demand, it now runs exclusively at Mac Observer every other Friday, replacing "Rodney's Soapbox." [Editor's Note: Rodney O.Lain passed away in June, 2002.] You can post your comments below. Most Recent Columns From iBrotha Watson, Sherlock, iMac & 'iApps' Still Catalyze Entrepreneuring Porno Purveyors, Redux - February 15th New iMac Isn't Ugly, Compared To Intel's Vision Of The Future PC - January 18th A Shrugging Atlas: Sometimes I Wish for Armageddon, Sometimes I Wish Apple Would Go Out of Business - November 9th iBrotha Archives